The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-07
LABOR INTERESTS.
Mr.. POwderly Trying to Concliate Some Of
the Men Whom He Has Offended.

There has been a marked change OF front in
the attitude of Gene raj Master Workman Pow
derby toward the trades unions and the oppo-
nents of the present administration since the
recent elections of delegates to the Minneapolis
convention, when NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. men were
chosen by nearly all of the more powerful dis
trict assem- blies throughout the country. Mr.
Powderly has repeatedly, since then. in private
correspondence and private interviews. acknow1-
edged that grave crisis in the history of the
order has been reached, and has practically con-
fessed that in great measure the Knights organ
iZatior has fallen into the control of improper
officers who have led the order away from its
old landmarks. These utterances have been
made, it is believed. for his own protection from
the anti ministration party at the expense of
his associates the general executive
board.
1t has just been ascertainsd that since the
delegate elections Mr. Powderly has been max
ing overtures of peace to the prominent Knights
who acknowledged to be leaders in the op-
position element within the order. and TO the
most influential of the trades unionists. who
now or have formerly been Knights we'll.
1t is definitely known that John Morrison, the
redoubtable leader of the opposition party in
New York. whose attacks on the general execu-
tive board and whose vigorous resistance to the
attacks made upon him by the board have rem
dered him a formidable adversary, has been
approached by friends and emissares of Mr..
Powderly, and asked, for the sake of harmony,
to adjust what differences he may have with the
regning administration before the General
Assembly meets in October. Il is also known
that ten days ago similar overtures were made
to George E. Mcneil, of Boston. perhaps the
most influential leader of the Knights in all New
order to enlist his sympathy and cooperation he
was told that the safety of the order is now in
danger, and that the old leaders. who have lately
cut loose from the administration, must return
to their former allegiance and help the order out
of the present difficulty. Joseph r. Buchanan,
the most active leader of the opposition party in
the West. has also been urged several times it
is learned, by Mr.. Powderlv, within the past
three weeks, to forego his grievances and make
an effort to harmonic the opposing elements in
the order. The most prominent trades-unionists,
Adolph Strasser. president of the Cgarmakers'
International Union and P. j. Mcclure secre-
tary of the American Federation of Labor and of
the Brotherhood of G. rpenters. are also reported
as having been approached by Mr.. Powderly
and his friends with view to settling the antag-
onsms which exist between the Knights and the
big trades unions. Thomas B. Barry, of the
general executive board. is said have n
ferred with President Strasser In Buffalo. and
Mr.. Powderly himself with Secretary Mcclure
in this city.
In all these conferences Mr. Powderly is repre-
sented as throwing the blame for the innumer-
able mistakes of the general executive board
upon the shoulders of certain members of that
body alone, with the evident purpose of shield
ing himself. To the trades-urionists he dis
avows all antagonism on his part to the trades
unions However, it is reported that the lead
ers who have been approached in this way have
not vouchsafed the administration any encour-
agement They have refrained from making
any rash promises. taking the ground that I'M
der existing circumstances nothing can be
promised. They say. though, that they will
wait for the results of the Minneapolis conven-
ton. and then decide whether or not they will
accept the treaty of peace offered by Mr.. Pow
derby Indeed, in some quarters it is believed
that Mr. Powderly's advances have been actuated
solely by the desire to ascertain the extent of
the 6isaffection in the order, and to learn the
plans of the anti-administration party. At all
events. Developments of an interesting char
acter are expected within the next few weeks